Method of tempering



Nov. 24, 1925.

J. 3. [Dl\\lh5 METHOD 0F TEMPERING 2 SheetsQSheet 1 Filed Oct Nav.24,1925. y 1,563,170

J. C. DAVIS METHOD OF TEMPERING Filed Oct. 24. l923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

JAMES CAREY DAVIS, 0F HINSDALE, ILLINOIS.

METHOD or TEMPERING.,

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES CAREY DAvIs]l a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Hinsdale, vin the county of Du Page and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Methodsof Tempering, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to the art of tempering in general, moreparticularly to the tempering of metal and specifically to the localizedhardening of 'steel castings containing a modifying agent.- Broadlyconsidered, the invention comprehends an improved method for temperinganapparatus for carrying out the tempering method, and the resultantimproved product.`

` While the invention has a broad field of usefulness for changing thestate of various articles of different composition, I have found it ofpeculiar utility for producing cast steel car Wheels containingmanganese as a modifying agent and l therefore find it convenient todescribe the invention in connection with such a product, it beingunderstood that such limited field of specific description is employedpurely for purposes of an example of the utility of the inven-l tion inits several phases. Y

The principal objects of the present invention are the provision of animproved method -of tempering; the provision ofan improved apparatus fortempering; the provision of.

an improved tempered' product; the'v provision of a method of temperingcharacter!- ized by a localization of the tempering; the provision of amethodof tempering. whereinl the area of the tempering may besubstantially controlled Within predetermined limits; the provision of amethod of tempering characterized by the direction of fluid uponpredetermined parts only of the article tov be tempered; the provisionof ya method ofjtempering characterizedby va jdifferential/ 4orprogressive tempering of the article; the.' provision'of a method oftempering charac--I terized bythe employment of means to prevent actionof the tempering steps upon such parts of the article as it is notdesired 'to modify; the provision of a method of tem ering characterizedbyso placing the sur aces to be tempered and so carrying out the stepsof tempering that certain partsof the-article upon which the operationisperformed are left unchanged; the' provision of" -proved means for o aImethod of tempering characterized by the directing of the treatingfluid upon the article to be tempered, in general, and, in particular,means for directing such fluid upon the precise area desired to be actedupon; the provision of a method of tempering characterized by theemployment of a plurality of streams of diferent volume or' intensitywhereby areas of the article may be tempered differentially; theprovision of a method of tempering-characterized by the provision ofmeans whereby the article may be subjected to equivalent amounts oftreating fluid at allpredetermined points so that a substantialuniformity of tempering may be attained; the provision of an improvedapparatus for carrying out the several objects set forth; the provisionof a tempering apparatus characterized by means for a localization ofthe tempering, in general, and more-particularly means whereby the arcaof tempering may be substantially limited; the provision, of temperingapparatus characterized by the .provision of means for ejecting thetempering fluid upon a predetermined point or points in general, and, inparticular, by the employment of a plurality of ejector members soarranged that the article may be tempered differentially orprogressively and thus predetermined varying qualities imparted thereto;the provision in a tempering apparatus of means for preventing temperingaction upon the parts of .the article which it is not desired to change;the provision of a tempering apparatus. characterized by the horizontalejection of the tempering fluid so that arts of the ,object may remainunmodiie the provision of a tempering apparatus characterized by theemploymentv of la plurality of series of streams of tempering. fluid, ingeneral,

and in particular, .one wherein the volumes of'fluid of the severalstreams differ and varticle acted u oil-.from the action of thetempering'flui and the provision-.ofim'- erating such shield, togetherIwith such -f-)urther objects, benefits and advantages as may hereinafterappear or may be pointed out. The Wor'd tempering as. employed hereinrelates to changing ythe state of they metaltreated, that is, may

:thus the action thereof may b e varied diff method by means of anapparatus, one embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

On inspection of these drawings it will be observed that asabovesuggested, I have for purposes of convenience in disclosure anddescription illustratedan apparatus of a form adapted for the treatmentof a disclike metallic casting, to-Wit: in the present case, a flangedcast manganese-steel wheel. The invention is peculiarly adapted for thetreatment of such objects, as will be manifest when it is consideredthat a great desideratum in the hardening of wheel treads is that suchhardening be both uniform in order that the wheel may wear uniformly inservice, and not become out-ofround, and at the same time that thehardening be localized to that portion of the tread and throat which ismost'usually in Contact with the rail head, in order that the rim of thewheel may wear uniformly and not become grooved in service. To this endtherefore it is most desirable that the flange of the Wheel whichordinarily is of quite suflicient hardness without temperin f be notfurther hardened, and similarly t at the outer marginal portion of thetread which is opposite to the flange and receives much less Wear, owingto its relatively less contact with the rail head, be left unmodifiedand relatively soft so that the wheel tread in service will wear downuniformly. It is likewise desirable that the web and center of the wheel.beleft free from hardening and in their relatively soft state.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a plan v1eW of the temperingapparatus;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-'-II of Figure k1, thewheel being shown therein in elevation;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan viev of a part of the apparatusin Figure 1; an

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the wheel tread.

Referring firstunore particularly to Figures 1 and2 of the drawings itwill be observed that the tempering apparatus here shown comprises anelliptically formed casing 10 provided with a chamber l1 havingconnections to sources of fluid 12, baille plates 1()a being disposed insaid casing 10 adjacent vthe inlets 13 of the fluid connections 12, in

order to prevent surging of the fluid through the adjacent jets shortlyto be described. The baille plates- 10a are provided With suitable ports14 for the equalization of fluid pressure within said casing 10, to theend that the discharge through the several jets may be substantiallyuniform, and clean-out openings above inlets 13 are provided, Withclosing plugs 13a.

In order that, where desired, as in the case of a wheel tread, thearticle acted upon may be tempered uniformly, I find it convenient toimpart to the chamber 15 within the casing 10 a contour corresponding ingeneral to that of such article, thus in the present case, since a wheeltread is to be acted upon, the chamber 15- is annular.

For directing fluid from the chamber 11 of the casing 10 to the surfaceto be treated, in the present instance the tread 16 of the wheel 17, Iemploy a number of streams or jets of fluid which are conveniently giventhe desired direction `by means of nozzles 18. The latter, as will beapparent on viewing Figure 1, are preferably arranged radially anddirected towards the center of the wheel, which is to be carefullycentered in the casing 10'and may be sustained by the supporting members19. As will be seen on viewing Figure 2, the nozzles 18 are Dreier ablyarranged in a plurality of series, 20, 2l, 22. In the present caseinasmuch as the object is lo harden the throat 23 and tread 16 of thewheel, I find it desirable to eject the largest quantity of fluidthrough the nozzle series 20, a lesser quantity through the nozzleseries 21 and the least quantity through the nozzle series 22. To thisend the series 20 contains the largest number of nozzles and the series21 and 22 progres sively less numbers thereof.

At various times and for various purposes, and especially in the presentcase of awheel tread it is desirable topreserve a certain part of thearticle acted upon from the tempering action of the fluid streamsemitted rom the jet series 20, 21, 22. For the accomplishment of thispurpose I have provided the shield 24, which when used for protecting anarticle which is circular in cross section may be a band of springymetal such as is indicated at 24 (Figure 3). One

4end of this band 25 may be attached to a crank arm 26, the opposite endof the band 27, passing through a stirrup 28 on such arm 26, may beattached to the casing 10 at a convenient point such as indicated at 29.

For the purpose of contracting the band 24 upon the article to betreated, e. g. the wheel 17, an operating lever 30 connected by the link31 to lthe arm 26, may be employed. To facilitate one action of theshield, e. g. its contraction, a tension spring 32 having a suitableconnection to the exterior of the caslil() ing at a convenient pointsuch as is indicated at 33, may be utilized..

differing hardness may be produced, such as those indicated by the indexnumbers, ac-

\ cordirig to the Brinell hardness scale appearing ,on the innerperiphery, the fiange, the throat, the tread 16 and the outer periphery34: of the Wheel Whose contour in cross-section is outlined in Figure 4,and all this Without affecting such parts as may be desirably leftunchanged. y

Other advantages, and uses of my present invention will occur to thoseWho are skilled in the art.

Having thus describedmy invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of tempering a continuous surface of metal which includesdirecting against the metal a plurality of series of streams of fluid tostrike the metal independently.

The method of tempering a continuous surface of metal which includesdirecting against the metal at spaced points a plurality of series ofstreams of fluid to strike the metal independently.

3. The method of tempering metal which includes directing a plurality ofseries of streams of iiuid against the metal, the several series varyingi'n volume.

4c. The method of tempering metal which includes directing a pluralityof series of lstreams of fluidV against the metal, an upper serieshaving more volume than a series .lherehelow 5. The method of temperinga continuous ysurface of metal which includes directinga plurality ofseries of streams of fluid against the surface of said metal, the numberof streams in two of the series varying to strike the metalindependently.

6. The method of tempering metal which includes directing a plurality ofseries of streamsof fluid against the metal, the volume of streams inthe several series varying l progressively.

7 'Ihe method of tem ering a continuousJ surface of metal which'mcludesdirecting ay plurality 'of streams simultaneously upon differentportions of the .surface of said metal to strike the metalindependently. 8. The method-of tem ering a `continuous. surface ofmetal which includes directing a plurality of streams u ondifferentportions of the surface of sai metal, said streams havingsimilar relation tothe periphery of the casting to strike the metalindependently.

9. The method of tempering a continuous surface of metal which includesdirecting av plurality of streams upon different portions of the surfaceof said metal, said streams having similar relation to the center of thecasting to strike the metal independently.

10. The method of tempering a continuous surface of metal which includesdirecting a pluralityof streams radially upon different portions of thesurface of strike the metal independently.

`-..-11. The method of hardening the tread portion of a Wheel whichincludes the ste of subjecting a wheel tread, part of Whic is shieldedfrom a tempering fluid, to a stream of fluid directed upon such tread.

12. The method of hardening the vtread portion of a flanged Wheel whichincludes the step of subjecting. a Wheel tread, part of which isshielded from a tem ering fluid, to a stream of fluid directedp uponsuch tread at a point adjacentthe flange thereof. 13. r1`he method ofhardening the tread portion of a Wheel which includes the step saidmetal 1 to of subjecting a Wheel tread, part of which is shielded from atempering Huid, to a plurality of symmetrically arranged streams .offluid.

14. 'llhe method of hardening the tread portion of a Wheel whichincludes the step of subjecting the tread of a wheel lying on its side,and part of which tread is shielded from a tempering fluid, to aplurality of streams of fluid.

15. The method of hardening the tread portion of a wheel which includesthe step of subjecting the tread of a Wheel lying on its-side, and partof which tread is shielded from a tempering fluid, to aplurality of-series of streams of fluid arranged one above the other, the topmostseries having v the largest volume of streams.

-Wheel having vtread and throatfportions hardened after casting, the webof the wheel being. unaltered by the hardening opera-Y tion.

19.As a. nevv article of manufacture., a heat treated flanged eastmanganese steel Wheel 'having' its'V tread portion hardened after.casting by localized quenching, that i portion of the wheel oplpositeto the flange being protected from t e quenching operation and remainingsubstantially unaltered.

20. As a new article of manufacture, a casting havinr a peripheraltempered belt, whose width is of varying hardness.

2l. As a new article of manufacture, a

5 car wheel having its cylindrical portion tempered in belts of varyingdegrees of hardness.

22. As a new article of manufacture, a substantially cylindrical castinghaving a l0 part of its cylindrical portion tempered in varying degreesand a part of such cylindrical portion untempered.

23. As a new article of manufacture, a

-cast steel wheel, having a tread and a iiange thereof of predetermineddegree of hardness, and a tread of said Wheel being hardcned tosubstantially the same degree as said flange.

24. As a new article of manufacture, a steel Wheel having an integraltempered tread portion, another portion of ther tread being untempered.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my-name.

'JAMES CAREY DAVIS.

